Electrical railroad traction apparatus.



N0.,69'a,o99. Patented Apr. 22, 1.902.

A. B. BOUGHAN.

`ELECTRICAL RAILROAD TRAGTIONAPPARATUS. (Application led Jul-y 15, 1901.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

ANDREW B. BOUGHAN, OFVCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL RAILROAD TRA-CTION A PPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters vPatent No. 698,099, dated April 22, 1 902.

Application tlledwTnly 15, 1901. Y ASerial No. 6 8,319. (No model.)

To blt whom. t wutycolwern:

Be it known that l, ANpREW B. BOUGHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. Roslyn Place, in the city of Chicago,il1 the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Railroad Traction Apparatus,pof which the following is aV specification. p

My invention relates to improvements in electric railroad traction apparatus in which a removable protector operates in conjunction with a conductor conveying an electrical current to propel, light, or heat cars,whether passenger or freight; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide an electric-traction conductor close under the surface of a railroad-bed orupon the surface, but so protected as not to endanger life or property; second, to afford facilities for easy continuous removal of a section of the protector under a car; third, to replace the removed section of the protector continuously and simultaneously with-the passage of the car, so that not more than one section of the electric conductor is uncovered at a time and none of the conductor is exposed at either end of a car, whether the car is in motion or standing still, the only lportionof the conductor at any time uncovered being under the carat the moment of uncovering. Iattain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview ofthe apparatus as it appears with a portion of a car broken away; Fig. 2, a plane view of the part' of the apparatus close under the surface ofv the railroad-bed or upon the surface; Fig. 3,'

a vertical section of a part of the apparatus on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4., a vertical section of a part of the apparatus on the line 4.4 of Fig. 2.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throu ghout the several views.

The motor a. and the electrical collector or shoe b constitute the mechanism conveying electric power for propulsion, light, or heat to the' car from the conductor f on or close under the surface of the railroad-bed. In an inclosure of Wood or other insulating material under the surface of the railroad-bed or on the surface is a cover or protector d, consisting of a block or strip of wood, at the back or side of which is a series of springs, each spring being marked e. These springs, except when pressed back, hold continuously in place the protector or covering of the conductor f, which conveys along the entire length of the railroad the electrical supply or current for the various purposes of a traction system. Successive sections of the protector d d, covering theelectrical conductor f, are pressed back by the'electrical collector or shoe b as a car passes along propelled by power from the conductor f. The collector or shoe b, attached to a car or train, is thusin continuous contact with the source of electric powernamely, the conductor f. Pointed ends on the collector or shoe b facilitate the easy removal or pressing back of the sections of the protector d d and also help immediate replacement of the protector d d and replacement being effected by the constant pressure upon the sections d d from the springs e e.

The top of the protector d forms a portion of the road-level except when a car is directly above, at which time a section of the protector is pushed back under the upper cover of the box c. The hole or pipe shown inthe bottom of the box c isv an opening `for drainage.

I am aware that prior to my invention electric railroad traction apparatus has been made to prevent damage tolife or property from the electric current. lI therefore do not claim such an apparatus broadly.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in electric railroad traction apparatus of a laterally-movable non-` conducting protector d or covering formed of block or strip of woodor other suitable nonconducting material with an electric conducand adapted for lateral movement in combitorf lying close to the surface of the railroad nation With a conductor arranged near the Io all substantially as described. I surface of the railroad-bed. y 3. The combination in electric railroad A T 5 traction apparatus ofaprotective Covering for i ANDREW B BOUGHAB' the Working conductor consisting of a series \Vitnesses: of short lengths of Wood orothernon-eonduet- R. J. BIEG, ing material having their ends interloeked WM. H. GARRISON. 

